Dogwood Blossoms
by Wldwmn
Summary: Post-ep: 4.15 "War of the Roses". Some of Lisbon's thoughts and Jane's behavior after the case. Spoilers, naturally. Jisbon-esque.


**Disclaimer: I do not own "The Mentalist".**

**Summary: Post-ep: 4.15 "War of the Roses". Some of Lisbon's thoughts and Jane's behavior after the case. Spoilers, naturally. Jisbon-esque.**

**A/N: Okay, officially I'm taking a break from writing, but this odd and short little interlude appeared nearly complete in my head, so I decided to share it. There's no real dialogue, unusual for me, and more introspection than plot. I don't even know how to classify it.**

**Dogwood Blossoms**

She's upset with him after the escape. She warned him about this very thing happening, him AND Wainwright, and while she should feel vindicated she's just angry. A murderer (manslaughterer? Is that even a _word_?) got away.

He had reassured her that she wouldn't be held responsible. He was right, too, if for no other reason than it wasn't _her_ signature on the phony release form that the phony cop handed to her boss. But she still doesn't feel good about it. She couldn't feel good about it and still be the kind of cop she is.

And then that brush off in the attic? He has his nerve, but that's him all over. She knows she's come across as jealous this entire case. He seems to find it a mixture of endearing and amusing, as he did during the case where she twisted her ankle. But he always shows some resistance to her staking a claim, so his gentle (and also a little less gentle) nudging her away from him is expected. But still irritating.

She compromises this time by giving him the cold shoulder rather than punching him in the nose. She understands what is and isn't her business; hadn't she kept mum about the hotel room visit that Ms. Flynn's guarding agents mentioned to her? When it came to the question she "had to ask" him, she'd avoided that entirely. That wasn't her concern. But the flippant remark about not answering her with clearly no intention to do so? Definitely earning some silent treatment there.

Sometimes she wonders about their relationship. They've gone from rather uneasy colleagues to best friends over the past few years. A lot of that comes from shared experience, and shared danger especially. She wonders if he'd still yell at her for saving him in that basement (almost) 3 years ago. Probably, but maybe he'd understand why more easily.

This year has been particularly rough on them. She finds herself worrying about what he will do more than ever. Not because it might get him in trouble. Not because they might lose their jobs. It's gotten to the point where she's worried his actions might get him killed. Which, needless to say, would be devastating. Inexcusable. Unbearable.

She knows there are rumors that they are more than just friends, or colleagues, or "office spouses". She knows that those rumors are true and false at the same time, that their hard-won trust in and fondness for each other run a bit deeper than any of those labels. But they aren't sleeping together, or dating, or secretly married. There have been no grand declarations between the two of them. She isn't sure there ever would be.

But when the small black velvet jewelry box shows up on her desk, she does not need a note or an explanation. She knows who it is from. She opens it to find a beautiful pair of earrings in the shape of tiny flowers. Each one has five delicate gold petals radiating from a center containing a dewdrop of diamond. She shouldn't keep them, an expensive gift like that, but something tells her he wouldn't take them back even if she tried.

She notices him watching her from the doorway. Too bashful to present the gift in person, but still curious as to how it's received? She wonders. He misreads her eyebrow raised in inquiry to be directed at the _gift_, rather than at him, and informs her they are dogwood blossoms. She thanks him politely, still with no smile, and he nods before leaving.

He wouldn't have told her what kind of flower they were for no reason. When he volunteers information it usually has some kind of deeper significance, though not always apparent at first. So she plugs "dogwood flower meaning" into a search engine, curious. The meaning that appears: love, undiminished by adversity.

She sighs and shakes her head, her annoyance with him fading as it always does. She knows she will forgive him once again for the liberties he took, continues to take. He takes more than he gives sometimes, but not every time. And he has already paid a higher price for his antics than any of them.

When she sees him later in the bullpen, she chances a smile. Nothing amazing; no need for him to think he's been completely forgiven already, after all. And she doesn't mention the earrings again, or the meaning behind them. Because if she acknowledges _that_, she'll have to acknowledge _everything_. And they aren't ready.

But when she goes to reach for something behind him later, her hand lingers briefly on his shoulder rather than the back of the couch.

And the next time they have to dress up for one of those tiresome CBI fundraisers, she wears the earrings. She does nothing to draw attention to them. But he notices right away, of course, and his smile lights up the ballroom.

**The End**


End file.
